Therapy-related Acute Non-lymphocytic Leukemia (M2) with 7; 11 Chromosome Translocation Induced into Complete Remission by Low Dose Cytosine Arabinoside and Cytarabine Ocfosfate Therapy

A case of therapy-related acute non-lymphocytic leukemia (t-ANLL) in a 70-year-old female patient is reported. An operation for lung cancer was performed in February 1991, and she was treated with etoposide (VP-16), a topoisomerase II inhibitor. Nineteen months after the start of chemotherapy, she complained of palpitations, and anemia and thrombocytopenia developed. The myelogram revealed 41.2% leukemic cells, and a diagnosis of t-ANLL induced by VP-16 was made. The karyotype of bone marrow cells showed 46, XX, t(7; 11) (p13; p15), 16p+. She obtained complete remission (CR) by treatment with low dose cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) and cytarabine ocfosfate (SPAC). Karyotype with t-ANLL induced by alkylate agents frequently shows unbalanced abnormalities. The difference of cytogenetic findings suggest the difference of mechanisms. Detailed chromosomal analysis make clear the oncogenesis of t-ANLL. It is reported that the prognosis of patients with t-ANLL treated by conventional chemotherapy is poor. Considering that elderly cases of acute leukemia have a lower probability of achieving CR than non-elderly cases, because of complications and side effects of chemotherapy such as bone marrow supression, treatment with low dose Ara-C and SPAC is thought to be indicated in elderly patients with t-ANLL.